Packaging is an integral part of food products which in addition to increasing the shelf life of the food, also facilitates its storage and distribution. Synthetic packaging materials based on fossil hydrocarbons have been used extensively due to their low cost and good mechanical properties; however, recently concerns related to their sustainability are increasing. There is thus an opportunity for the development of biodegradable or reusable packaging materials based on natural resources (starch, vegetable oils, cellulose) and their waste (shrimp shells and squid pen for example) with intelligent or bioactive properties. Radiation technology offers a clean and environmentally-friendly means for the development of such packaging materials, from the synthesis of new to the modification of existing materials. In addition, for pre-packaged food intended for irradiation, radiation resistant materials are needed. To tackle such complex research, development and application, a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) was deemed ideal.
The CRP focused on research to develop new packaging materials based on natural and synthetic polymers using radiation techniques, and to assess the effects of ionizing radiation (gamma, electrons, and X-rays) on commercial and emerging food packaging materials, in particular for their use in pre-packaged foods intended for radiation processing.
Development of new packaging materials such as starch-PVA blends, starch- Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)-nanocellulose blends, Polylactic Acid (PLA) blends, bio-nanocomposites, polypropylene-clay film, polypropylene/biomass composites, low density Polyethylene (LDPE)/chitosan/vitamin E, sorbic acid grafted polyethylene film, cellulose acetate-clay blend, cellulosic materials (cellulose/chitin or kraft paper)/phenolic antioxidants and/or essential cold-press oils, poly aniline blended Polycaprolactone (PCL) film, natamycin and limonene-grafted polyethylene film, anthocyanin-grafted polyethylene film, methyl cellulose-chitosan-alginate blends, PLA-carboxy methyl cellulose blends, PLA/chitosan, PLA nano-clays, PLA/lactoferrin, plasticized PLA/chitosan/cold-pressed oils, PLA/cold-pressed oil/Closite 30B was successfully achieved.
Through the testing of new materials and assessing their suitability as food packaging, data on the effects of irradiation on physicochemical, structural, mechanical, and functional properties of materials leading to their commercial exploitation with respect to irradiation of pre-packaged foods was investigated, and the improvement of mechanical and thermal properties of some commercial packaging materials was achieved.
Major achievements of this CRP include the development of new packaging materials such as starch-PVA blends etc., assessment of the radiation sensitivity of commercial packaging materials, development of a new protocol for detecting leachates from polymers by stable isotope technique, and development of protocols to functionalize crystalline nanocellulose to formulate active beads, films, and coatings.
The CRP had a huge impact in creating a functioning network of collaborating research institutions through which the participants gained knowledge and expertise in the preparation of new materials by using radiation techniques, investigating their properties, and optimizing them for specific food packaging purposes.
Researchers from Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, the UK and the USA participated in this CRP.
The CRP established a collaboration between the IAEA and EU COST Action FA0904 Eco-Sustainable Food Packaging Based on Polymer Nanomaterials.
For more information, please see the CRP description:
http://www.dgdingfa.net/projects/crp/f22063
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